Hybrid gravity bong

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for using a smoking vessel to cool and collect smoke from an ignited combustible material for later consumption using the creation of a vacuum. The apparatus is a smoking vessel, container, a bowl to hold and burn a combustible material, a down-stem to cool and transfer smoke from the bowl to the smoking vessel, and a drilled stopper or bung to create a seal between the bowl and down-stem combination and the smoking vessel. Utilization of vacuum principles facilitates the creation of smoke from a combustible material while simultaneously cooling and collecting the smoke without the need for a person use their lungs. The apparatus and method of use allows multiple smoking vessels to be filled with smoke for consumption by any person at a later time.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This present application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Number 61/767,799 filed Feb. 22, 2013.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

Smoking vessels in the form of a plastic or glass bottle are often used to collect smoke for inhalation. An opening is made through the bottom of the smoking vessel by making a hole or completely cutting off the bottom. At the top of the smoking vessel, a bowl is inserted. The bowl, often an inverted brass nozzle, is packed with a combustible substance such as cannabis or tobacco. The smoking vessel with bowl is lowered into a bucket of water so that the smoking vessel remains upright with the bowl above the water and the bottom opening submerged in the water. The smoking vessel then fills with the water through the bottom opening. Next, the combustible substance in the bowl is ignited while the smoking vessel with bowl is raised from the water, the draining water creating a vacuum and pulling smoke into the vessel. Once the water has drained completely from the smoking vessel, the user may remove the bowl and inhale the smoke from the vessel. The smoke that fills the vessel using this method is often hot and unpleasant to inhale. Moreover, the smoke enters the vessel directly from the bowl without any type of filtration

Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,805,806, 4,096,868 and 4,648,410. The '806 patent incorporates an inverted upper vessel to contain smoke, the upper vessel being used to prevent dispersion of the smoke created as a byproduct of the apparatus's use, not to collect the smoke for inhalation. The '868 patent incorporates the features of a traditional water pipe into a two-piece apparatus, with a detachable upper and lower portion, so that water or ice may be easily introduced into the apparatus. The '410 patent also incorporates the features of a traditional water pipe, but with the addition of a means for controlling the thermal conduction around the pipe bowl. Additionally, an apparatus called the Gravity Vortex Portable Smoking apparatus utilizes gravity and draining liquid to fill a chamber. However, each of these references suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages: they are complicated to use, requiring complex parts to operate; the same person must draw air the to facilitate combustion of the material while inhaling the smoke being created, the smoke cannot be created and contained for later inhalation; the smoke is not filtered and cooled through a liquid; and a singular apparatus cannot be used to fill multiple vessels with smoke.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a apparatus and method of use that utilizes vacuum principles to cool, filter, and contain smoke for inhalation by a different person at a later time. The solution is found in the present, Hybrid Gravity Bong invention, which comprises: a smoking vessel, a container, a down-stem to cool and transfer smoke from the bowl to the smoking vessel, a bowl to hold and burn the combustible material, and a drilled stopper or bung to create a seal between the bowl and down-stem combination and the smoking vessel.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a apparatus and method of use that satisfies the need to cool, filter, and contain smoke for inhalation by a person at a later time. The Hybrid Gravity Bong apparatus comprises a smoking vessel, a container, a down-stem to cool and transfer smoke from the bowl to the smoking vessel, a bowl to hold and burn the combustible material, and a drilled stopper or bung to create a seal between the bowl and down-stem combination and the smoking vessel.

Additionally, utilization of a down-stem facilitates filtration of the smoke through water. When the apparatus is submerged in the water, the smoking vessel fills with water to a level above the bottom of the down-stem. When the smoking vessel with bowl and down-stem is raised from the water after igniting the combustible substance, smoke is drawn into the smoking vessel through the cold down-stem and water by the creation of a vacuum, effectively cooling and filtering the smoke. Once the water in the smoking vessel has emptied, the bowl and down-stem can be removed, allowing the smoke in the vessel to be consumed or saved for later use by sealing the smoking vessel openings with stoppers.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a Hybrid Gravity Bong assembly embodying features of the present invention, including a smoking vessel, bowl, metallic down-stem, and drilled stopper.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a smoking vessel, bowl, metallic down-stem, drilled stopper, solid stopper, and weight.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a smoking vessel with a top and bottom opening.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a smoking vessel with a top and bottom opening.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a smoking vessel with metallic down-stem and drilled stopper prior to insertion of a bowl.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a smoking vessel with a combined bowl and down-stem.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a smoking vessel, bowl, metallic down-stem, drilled stopper, weight and hose attachment.

DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-7, a Hybrid Gravity Bong 100 comprises a smoking vessel 110, a bowl 130 to hold and burn a combustible material, a down-stem 140 to cool and transfer smoke from the bowl 130 to the smoking vessel 110, and a drilled stopper or bung 150 to create a seal between the bowl 130 and down-stem 140 combination and the smoking vessel 110.

The smoking vessel 110 may be any shape but is preferably in the form of a bottle or vase as illustrated in FIG. 1. The smoking vessel 110 can be constructed of glass, plastic or another material suitable for containing smoke to be inhaled, and is preferably clear to allow the user to see water and smoke in the vessel. The smoking vessel 110 comprises at least one opening, preferably at its top 112, for attachment of components, and at least one opening at its bottom 114 to allow liquid and air to enter and exit as best illustrated in FIGS. 3-4. The top opening 112 provides space to insert the down-stem 140, bowl 130, and bung 150 as best illustrated in FIG. 1. After the down-stem 140, bowl 130, and bung 150 are removed as shown in FIG. 4, the top 112 or bottom 114 opening may be used to inhale the smoke. Alternatively, a hose 170 as illustrated in FIG. 7 may be inserted into the top opening 112 and used to inhale the smoke from the smoking vessel 110. When multiple top openings 112 are incorporated into the smoking vessel 110, more than one person can simultaneously consume smoke from the apparatus.

A container is used to hold any liquid such as water and/or ice, and can take the form of a standard bucket. The container may be any material suitable for holding ice and liquid without leaking and large enough so that the smoking vessel 110 may be nearly completely submerged into the liquid. The container is used to submerge the smoking vessel 110 and down-stem 140 in the liquid so that it cools to a lower temperature and fills with the liquid to later create a vacuum. To assist submersion of the smoking vessel 110 in the liquid, one or more weights 150 in the form of spheres, a rod or any shape capable of being inserted in or around the smoking vessel 110 may be used. FIG. 2 illustrates a weight 150 in the form of a rod that may be inserted into the smoking vessel 110 through the top opening 112. In an alternative embodiment, the smoking vessel 110 itself may incorporate sufficient weight to maintain submersion in the liquid.

The bowl 130 illustrated in FIG. 5 is used to hold and burn the combustible material and is generally cylindrical in shape with a wider top opening 132 and a stem 134 with a bottom opening that may be inserted into a down-stem 140 top opening 142 using a slip joint. The bowl 130 may be any material typically used for smoking combustible materials such as glass, metal or ceramic. Alternatively, The bowl 130 and down-stem 140 may be combined into a single component as best illustrated in FIG. 6. The bowl's 130 wider top opening 132 remains outside of the smoking vessel while the narrower bottom opening 134 extends into the top opening 112 of the smoking vessel to hold and burn the combustible material.

The down-stem 140 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a generally an elongated tubular shape with a top opening 142 and bottom opening 144 and is preferably constructed of a metallic material, but can be any material that facilitates heat transfer such as metal, glass or ceramic. The down-stem 140 functions to transfer smoke from the bowl 130 to the smoking vessel 110 where it is filtered though the liquid, and to cool the smoke by heat transfer. To increase heat transfer efficiency, the down-stem 140 may also include distally extending heat-sink protrusions. The down-stem 140 is inserted into the smoking vessel 110 through the top opening. 112. The length of down-stem 140 may vary but extending nearly to the bottom of smoking vessel 110 is preferred as it provides more surface area to cool the smoke.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 5-6, the drilled stopper 150 or bung, is ring-shaped with a hole through its center and may be constructed of any material typically used for creating a seal between a bowl 130 or down-stem 140 and the smoking vessel 110, such as rubber, plastic or glass. The drilled stopper 150 is slid onto the down-stem 140 so that it is just below the bowl 130. The drilled stopper 150 creates a seal when the assembled bowl 130, down-stem 140, and drilled stopper 150 are inserted into the top opening 112 of the smoking vessel 110 so that the bowl 130 is above the top opening 112 and the drilled stopper 150 is wedged between the down-stem 140 and smoking vessel 110.

The apparatus is used by first filling the container (not shown) with a liquid and preferably ice. Next, the smoking vessel 110 and down-stem 140 is submerged into the liquid to cool to a lower temperature. The down-stem 140 and drilled stopper 150 are then inserted into the top opening 112 of the water-filled smoking vessel 110. Next, the bowl 130, filled with a combustible material, is inserted into the down-stem 140 where it is ignited. Once ignited, the entire assembly may be slowly raised from the container. As the liquid drains from the smoking vessel 110 bottom opening 114 a vacuum is created, drawing air through the bowl 130. The air drawn through the bowl 130 facilitates burning of the combustible material and fills the smoking vessel 110 with smoke that has been cooled by contact with the down-stem 140 and liquid. Once the liquid has drained, the smoking vessel 110 is filled with smoke. The bowl 130, down-stem 140 and drilled stopper 150 may then be removed. Finally, the smoke may be inhaled from one of the smoking vessel's 110 openings and the process repeated. As an alternative to sucking the smoke from the vessel 110, the bottle may be re-inserted into the liquid container so that liquid begins to fill the smoke-filled vessel 110 from the bottom opening 114, resulting in the smoke being forced through the top opening 112 and allowing the user to simply inhale the smoke. Optionally, a solid stopper 160 may also be used to close the smoking vessel's 110 openings, allowing the smoke to be trapped for later consumption.

All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying claim, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation. 

What is claimed:
 1. An apparatus for cooling and collecting smoke, the apparatus comprising: a) a smoking vessel for containing smoke, the smoking vessel having at least one top opening for insertion of a bowl and a down-stem, and at least one bottom opening to allow liquid and air to enter and exit. b) a bowl to hold and burn a combustible material, the bowl comprising at least one top opening and at least one bottom opening. c) a tubular down-stem, the down-stem comprising a hollow elongated shape to be inserted into the smoking vessel with a portion of the tubular down-stem remaining outside of the smoking vessel for insertion of the bowl;
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smoking vessel comprises a total weight sufficient to maintain it submerged in a liquid-filled container.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smoking vessel comprises more than one top opening, facilitating consumption of the smoke by several people simultaneously.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bowl and down-stem are incorporated into the same component.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the down-stem comprises at least one protrusion that extends distally, the protrusion facilitating increased heat transfer between the smoke and liquid.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a drilled stopper creates a seal between the down-stem and smoking vessel;
 7. A method for cooling and collecting smoke utilizing the apparatus of claim 1, comprising the steps of: a) submerging the smoking vessel and down-stem of claim 1 in a liquid-filled container; b) inserting the down-stem and bowl into the smoking vessel; c) filling the bowl with a combustible material; d) igniting the combustible material; e) slowly raising the assembled smoking vessel, down-stem and bowl from the container so that as liquid drains from the smoking vessel, air is drawn through the ignited combustible material causing smoke to fill the smoking vessel; and f) removing the down-stem and bowl from the smoking vessel.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of inhaling the contained smoke.
 9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of sealing the smoking vessel with solid stoppers for later consumption.
 10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of lowering smoking vessel into the liquid-filled container while inhaling the expelled smoke. 